Vikas Dhanadal

We are located inside the Gidc Jamwadi Industrial Area. It’s a loud place most of the time because of all the other factories nearby. Vikas Dhanadal is just one of many units here, but we stay busy with our own work. The smell of the seeds being processed is something you get used to after a few days. We have a few machines running that make a constant humming sound. It isn't a quiet office job, that is for sure. We spend our shift making sure the supply is moving through the lines correctly. Sometimes a belt slips or a bag tears, and we have to stop and fix it right then. The floors are usually covered in a bit of dust from the processing, so we have to clean up a lot. We don't have a big sign out front or anything fancy. It’s just a gate and a shed where the work happens. The trucks come in through the main GIDC road and we have to guide them into the loading bay which can be a bit tight. Most of the people working here live nearby and we’ve known each other for years. It’s honest work and it keeps us moving. The weather gets really dry in this part of the country, so we keep plenty of water around. We just focus on the dhanadal and making sure the bags are filled properly before they get stacked up for the next transport. Sometimes the power cuts out and we have to wait for the generator to kick in. Those few minutes of silence are always a bit strange in such a loud place.